At present, various means are known for determining the particular patch panel port, through which a connection and signal transmission of the network device is performed.
For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,424,710 (Jul. 23, 2003) discloses the similar system. Every patch panel port in the systems according to the Patent is provided with the respective sensor acting when a cable termination is inserted into this port. However it is impossible to identify in these systems a cable connected to this panel, through which cable the data transmission is performed by the network device.
The most closest analog is described in the Russian Patent No. 2310210 (Nov. 10, 2007). Ports of a patch panel is provided with corresponding connection sensors. The sensors are configured for perceiving signals of stray electromagnetic radiation at the location of appearance of non-uniformity in a cable channel. The sensors are disposed nearby the respective patch panel ports at a distance sufficient for perceiving signals of the stray electromagnetic radiation occurred at the location of appearance of non-uniformity in the cable channel nearby this port in connecting the cable thereto, when transmitting respective signals via this cable. A data processing unit identifies a particular patch panel port by, to which all connection sensors being connected, according to a signal from the connection sensor corresponding to this port upon perceiving the stray electromagnetic radiation by this connection sensor. The sensors described in the Patent detect the stray electromagnetic radiation in whole but do not single out a specific part (electrical or magnetic) of the radiation.